The NFL's highest-paid offensive lineman can thankfully afford new underwear.
“It sucks. I'm angry. I'm not happy. It was right there. They gave it to us,” Buccaneers star tackle Tristian Wirf said. told reporters After Thursday's overtime loss to the Falcons.
“We lost our footing.”
There's no very graphic way to describe Tampa Bay's fourth-quarter collapse, but Wirfs certainly painted a concise picture.
“It was a back-and-forth game. We had every chance to get a shutout and we just couldn't do it,” the lineman said. “We have to wait for three days until it gets steeper.”
It's not a very complex metaphor, but it's apt.
With less than two minutes left in the game and the Bucs leading by three points, linebacker Lavonte David intercepted Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins on fourth-and-15.
If David had knocked the ball down, Baker Mayfield and company would have taken it at the Falcons' 20-yard line.
Instead, the Falcons' No. 27 offense began.
A first down almost decided the game, but a negative three-yard rush and a holding penalty gave the Bucs a 13-yard lead, then a short pass gave them another two yards.
Bucky Irving's third-down run was only recovered one yard, forcing Tampa Bay to punt the ball away instead of attempting a field goal.
Kirk Cousins, who had a franchise-record 509 passing yards in the game, immediately marched the Falcons into field goal range.
Younghoe Koo's 52-yard kick sent the game into overtime, and Cousins' 45-yard touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge put Tampa Bay within reach.
Atlanta and Tampa Bay are both 3-2, but the Falcons hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The teams will meet again in Week 8 on October 27th at Raymond James Stadium.
